Measured sensor distance correction

ABSTRACT

Example implementations relate to determining a correction factor that converts a measured sensor distance to a calibrated sensor distance. The measured sensor distance may be based on an amount of substrate advancement through a web printing press between detecting a mark on the substrate at a first sensor and detecting the mark at a second sensor. The calibrated sensor distance may be the separation between the first sensor and the second sensor.

BACKGROUND

A web printing press may apply tension to a web-fed print substrate. Theweb tension may be adjusted by changing the relative velocity of rollersor nip pressure of the feeding mechanism of the web printing press. Theweb tension and variations in tension may change the scaling of imagesprinted on the substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various examples will be described below with reference to the followingfigures.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example apparatus that includes ascaling measurement correction module according to an implementation.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example apparatus for correcting ascaling measurement according to an implementation.

FIG. 3A is a side view of an example apparatus for correcting a scalingmeasurement according to an implementation.

FIG. 3B is a side view of an example apparatus for correcting a scalingmeasurement according to an implementation.

FIG. 4 is an example method for determining a correction factoraccording to an implementation.

FIG. 5 is an example method for correcting a scaling measurementaccording to an implementation.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a non-transitory, machine-readablemedium encoded with example instructions to determine a correctionfactor.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a non-transitory, machine-readablemedium encoded with example instructions to determine a correctedscaling measurement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described above, a web printing press may apply tension to a web-fedprint substrate. This web tension may be adjusted by changing therelative velocity of rollers or nip pressure of the feeding mechanism ofthe web printing press. The web tension and variations in web tensionmay cause images printed on the substrate to be distorted. Thisdistortion may also be known as “scaling error”. Calibration marks maybe printed on the substrate at intended distances between marks, andautomated control systems may attempt to detect the scaling error basedon those marks. The control systems may also adjust the tension tocorrect the scaling error. However, measurements of the distance betweenmarks as printed may be sensitive to tension variations and substratethickness, and such control systems may inaccurately adjust the tension.Scaling error may also be manually detected by cutting a portion of thesubstrate from the web, measuring the distance between marks, andadjusting the web tension accordingly. However, such manual processesmay be inefficient.

Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exampleapparatus 100 for correcting a scaling measurement according to animplementation. In some implementations, the apparatus 100 may beincluded in a web printing press. The apparatus 100 may include a firstsensor 102, a second sensor 104, an encoder 106, and a scalingmeasurement correction module 108. The term “module” as used herein mayinclude a series of instructions encoded on a machine-readable storagemedium and executable by a processor. Additionally or alternatively, amodule may include one or more hardware devices including electroniccircuitry for implementing functionality described herein. In someimplementations, the first sensor 102 and the second sensor 104 may bemounted in the web printing press and may be separated by a calibratedsensor distance. The first sensor 102 and the second sensor 104 may beto detect marks on a substrate as the substrate advances through thepress. The encoder 106 may be to detect advancement of the substrate.The scaling measurement correction module 108 may be to determine ameasured sensor distance based on an amount of substrate advancement, asdetected by the encoder 106, between detection of a mark by the firstsensor 102 and detection of the mark by the second sensor 104. Thescaling measurement correction module 108 may also be to determine acorrection factor to convert the measured sensor distance to thecalibrated sensor distance.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example apparatus 200 for correctinga scaling measurement according to an implementation. In some instances,some aspects of the apparatus 200 may be example implementations ofanalogous aspects of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1. In someimplementations, the apparatus 200 may be included in a web printingpress 202 (also referred to herein as a “press”) for printing on aweb-fed substrate 204, such as paper, fabric, plastic, or other suitableprinting material. For example, in some implementations, the press 202may print on the substrate 204 (e.g., using an offset printingtechnique) as the substrate 204 is advanced in a web feed direction 206(e.g., a linear direction) at least in part by nip rollers, such as anip roller 208. In some implementations, the web printing press 202 mayinclude a web tension controller 210 to adjust operating parameters ofrollers of the press 202 (which may or may not include nip roller 208),such parameters including, for example, velocity of the rollers, nippressure, and the like, in order to control a web tension applied to thesubstrate 204 as it is advanced through the press 202. In someimplementations, the web tension controller 210 may include a series ofinstructions encoded on a machine-readable storage medium and executableby a processor, and additionally or alternatively, may include one ormore hardware devices including electronic circuitry for implementingfunctionality described herein.

The press 202 may print a mark (e.g., 226-1; which may also be referredto as a calibration mark) on the substrate 204, and more particularly,may print a plurality of such marks (e.g., 226-1 through 226-N) along anedge of the substrate 204. Additionally, the web printing press 202 maybe instructed to print the plurality of marks 226-1 through 226-N with aparticular intended inter-mark distance (i.e., the distance betweenmarks), but owing to the web tension applied to the substrate 204 andvariability in the web tension, an actual inter-mark distance 228 asprinted may differ from the intended inter-mark distance. Thus, it maybe useful for the apparatus 200 to determine an accurate measurement ofthe inter-mark distance 228 as printed to be used as a control input bythe web tension controller 210 to adjust the web tension on thesubstrate 204 and the scaling error of the press 202.

The apparatus 200 may include a first sensor 212, a second sensor 214,an encoder 216, and a scaling measurement correction module 218. In someimplementations, the apparatus 200 also may include a temperature sensor220 placed between the first sensor 212 and the second sensor 214. Thefunctionality of the foregoing features of the apparatus 200 andinteractions thereof will be described in turn.

The first sensor 212 and the second sensor 214 may be mounted in the webprinting press 200 and may be separated by a calibrated sensor distance222. More particularly, the first sensor 212 and the second sensor 214may be separated by the calibrated sensor distance 222 along the webfeed direction 206. The calibrated sensor distance 222 may be highlyaccurate (e.g., to at least approximately ±7 μm) owing to tightengineering and manufacturing tolerances, periodic maintenance andcalibration, and/or other suitable mechanisms for achieving highdimensional tolerance. The first sensor 212 and the second sensor 214may detect the aforementioned mark or marks (226-1 through 226-N)printed on the substrate 204 as the substrate 204 advances through thepress 202. In some implementations, the first sensor 212 and the secondsensor 214 may be optical reflectance or transmittance sensors that, forexample, can detect light-dark transitions related to the printed marks.For example, the marks 226-1 through 226-N may contrast with thesubstrate 204 (e.g., black marks on a white substrate 204), or if thesubstrate 204 is transparent, a stationary background that contrastswith the marks (e.g., a white or neutral background for black marks) maybe placed underneath the substrate 204 and may be mounted to the press202.

The encoder 216 may be to detect advancement of the substrate 204 (i.e.,along web feed direction 206). In some implementations, the encoder 216may be a rotary encoder coupled to the nip roller 208 of the webprinting press 202 (e.g., coupled by a zero backlash coupling) to detectan angular displacement resulting from and corresponding to advancementof the substrate 204 over the nip roller 208, which may have aparticular radius (R_(roller)). For example, a rotary encoder may outputa number of counts corresponding to the detected angular displacement.The number of counts may be converted back into the detected angulardisplacement (e.g., θ in radians, degrees, etc.) based on, for example,the resolution of the rotary encoder (e.g., an 8-bit encoder may have256 counts for a full rotation of the rotary encoder, that is, 2πradians). A corresponding linear displacement (ΔX) may then becalculated as the product of the detected angular displacement (θ) and aradius (R), as shown in equation (1) below, where R_(roller) may be usedas an approximation of radius R:

ΔX=R*θ  (1)

The scaling measurement correction module 218 may communicate with, andmore particularly, receive output signals from the first sensor 212, thesecond sensor 214, the encoder 216, and the temperature sensor 220. Forexample, the scaling measurement correction module 218 may receive fromthe temperature sensor 220 a temperature measurement from between thefirst sensor 212 and the second sensor 214. In some implementations, thescaling measurement correction module 218 may receive optical detectionsignals from the first sensor 212 and the second sensor 214, such as,for example, detection signals that indicate (e.g., upon analysis by thescaling measurement correction module 218) when a mark (e.g., 226-1)crosses the sensor. As another example, the scaling measurementcorrection module 218 may receive from the encoder 216 a number ofcounts representative of an angular displacement reading, as describedabove, and the scaling measurement correction module 218 may convert thenumber of counts back to an angular displacement (e.g., in radians,degrees, etc.).

In some implementations, a signal from either one of the first sensor212 or the second sensor 214 may trigger a reading from the encoder 216.For example, in some implementations, as the substrate 204 advances, thefirst sensor 212 may detect the crossing of the mark 226-1 followed bythe crossing of a subsequent mark 226-2, and may trigger reading(s) fromthe encoder 216 (e.g., a number of counts) in response to the crossings.In some implementations, the scaling measurement correlation module 218may convert the number of encoder counts between the detection of mark226-1 and the detection of mark 226-2 into a linear displacement thatmay correlate to (or may be a measurement of) the distance between themarks 226-1 and 226-2 (inter-mark distance 228), in the manner describedabove with respect to equation (1). This calculated linear displacementof the inter-mark distance 228 may be referred to as a scalingmeasurement. However, in some instances, the scaling measurement may bea less than accurate measurement of the inter-mark distance 228, ifR_(roller) is used as an approximation for R in equation (1) owing atleast in part to variations in thickness of the substrate 204 andvariations in web tension applied to the substrate 204, as will beexplained further with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are side views of the web printing press 202 and theapparatus 200 of FIG. 2. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B respectively illustrate asubstrate 304 with a thickness 306 and a substrate 310 with a thickness312, both substrates being advanced through the press 202, over the niproller 208 (which has a radius 302 of R_(roller)) coupled to the encoder216. In the present illustrations of FIGS. 3A and 3B, thickness 306 isgreater than thickness 312, which may be by design (e.g., differentsubstrate materials, dimensions, etc.) or may be due to different webtension (e.g., more or less tension may stretch a same substrate todifferent thicknesses). The marks 226-1 and 226-2 are printed on thesurface of the substrates 304 and 310. As the substrate 304 passes overthe nip roller 208, an effective radius 308 may be formed by the sum ofthe roller radius 302 and the substrate thickness 306. Similarly, forthe substrate 310, an effective radius 314 may be formed by the sum ofthe roller radius 302 and the substrate thickness 312. The effectiveradius 308 is greater than the effective radius 314, owing to thedifferent substrate thicknesses. Thus, measurement of the inter-markdistance 228 (i.e., the scaling measurement) using equation (1) may bemore accurate if the effective radii 308, 314 are used for the radius Rin equation (1) rather than R_(roller). However, the effective radiusmay not be available for such calculation.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the scaling measurement correction module 218may be to determine a correction factor to compensate for less thanaccurate measurements of linear displacements, including the scalingmeasurement, as described above. The scaling measurement correctionmodule 218 may determine a measured sensor distance based on an amountof advancement of substrate 204 as detected by the encoder 216 (e.g., anumber of counts representing an angular displacement detected by arotary encoder 216 and converted to a linear displacement), betweendetection of a mark 226-1 by the first sensor 212 and detection of themark 226-1 by the second sensor 214. For example, the measured sensordistance may be calculated by the scaling measurement correction module218 as the product of the radius of the nip roller 208 (R) and theangular displacement of the encoder 216 between two trigger roller,points: detection of the mark 226-1 by the first sensor 212 anddetection of the mark 226-1 by the second sensor 214(θ_(sensor 1−sensor 2), in radians for example). In someimplementations, the measured sensor distance may be expressed as thefollowing equation (2):

Measured Sensor Distance=R _(roller)*θ_(sensor 1−sensor 2)   (2)

The scaling measurement correction module 218 may then determine acorrection factor to convert the measured sensor distance to thecalibrated sensor distance 222. In some implementations, the calibratedsensor distance 222 may be stored as a programmable constant in amachine-readable medium included in or accessible by the scalingmeasurement correction module 218. For example, in some implementations,the correction factor (C_(correction)) may be determined by dividing themeasured sensor distance by the calibrated sensor distance 222 (that is,a ratio of the measured sensor distance to the calibrated sensordistance), as expressed in the following equation (3):

C _(correction)=Measured Sensor Distance/Calibrated Sensor Distance  (3)

In some implementations, the correction factor may be determined inother suitable ways, such as, for example, by subtracting the calibratedsensor distance from the measured sensor distance.

Using the correction factor (C_(correction)), the scaling measurementcorrection module 218 may determine a more accurate scaling measurement,which the web tension controller may compare with the intendedinter-mark distance to adjust the web tension on the substrate 204. Forexample, in some implementations, the scaling measurement correctionmodule 218 may determine a scaling measurement based on an amount ofadvancement of substrate 204, as detected by the encoder 216 (e.g., as anumber of counts representing an angular displacement detected by therotary encoder 216 and converted to a linear displacement), betweendetection of the mark 226-1 by the first sensor 212 and detection of asubsequent mark 226-2 by the first sensor 212. For example, the scalingmeasurement may be calculated by the scaling measurement correctionmodule 218 as the product of the radius of the nip roller 208(R_(roller)) and the angular displacement of the encoder 216 between twotrigger points: detection of the mark 226-1 by the first sensor 212 anddetection of the mark 226-2 again by the first sensor 212(θ_(mark 1−mark 2), in radians for example). Owing to variations in thesubstrate 204 thickness and web tension, the scaling measurement may bedeemed an estimate of the inter-mark distance 228 (e.g., as measured bya calibrated ruler). It should be noted that, in the someimplementations, the second sensor 214 may be used instead of the firstsensor 212 to detect both the mark 226-1 and the subsequent mark 226-2in the foregoing example. In some implementations, the scalingmeasurement may be expressed as the following equation (4):

Scaling Measurement=R _(roller)*θ_(sensor 1−sensor 2)   (4)

The scaling measurement correction module 218 may then convert thescaling measurement to a corrected scaling measurement using thecorrection factor (C_(correction)). For example, the corrected scalingmeasurement may be calculated by the scaling measurement correctionmodule 218 as the product of the scaling measurement and the inverse ofthe correction factor (C_(correction)), as expressed by the followingequation (5):

Corrected Scaling Measurement=Scaling Measurement*C _(correction) ⁻¹  (5)

In some implementations, the scaling measurement may be converted to thecorrected scaling measurement using the correction factor in othersuitable ways, depending at least in part on how the correction factorwas determined. For example, the correction factor may be added to orsubtracted from the scaling measurement to calculate the correctedscaling measurement, particularly if the correction factor is thedifference between the calibrated sensor distance and the measuredsensor distance. In some implementations, the scaling measurementcorrection module 218 may transmit the corrected scaling measurement tothe web tension controller 210 of the press 202. As described above, theweb tension controller 210 may compare the corrected scaling measurementto the intended inter-mark distance and adjust the web tension tominimize the difference between those values.

In some cases, temperature changes may result in thermal expansion orcontraction of parts of the press 202, and more particularly,temperature changes near the first sensor 212 and the second sensor 214may cause the calibrated sensor distance 222 to change. As describedabove, in some implementations, the apparatus 200 may include atemperature sensor 220 that may output a temperature measurement frombetween the first sensor 212 and the second sensor 214 to the scalingmeasurement correction module 218. The scaling measurement correctionmodule 218 may adjust the correction factor based on the temperaturemeasured by the temperature sensor 220. For example, the scalingmeasurement correction module 218 may adjust the calibrated sensordistance value used in equation (3) based on a known relationshipbetween the temperature and the calibrated sensor distance 222. Forexample, an increased temperature may be known to correlate to anincreased calibrated sensor distance 222.

In some implementations, the scaling measurement correction module 218may update the correction factor (e.g., as calculated by equation (3))for each mark (or at least some of the marks) of the plurality of marks226-1 through 226-N, as each mark passes the first sensor 212 and thesecond sensor 214. Additionally, the scaling measurement correctionmodule may determine a corrected scaling measurement using an updatedcorrection factor for each pair of consecutive marks (e.g., marks 226-1and 226-2). Accordingly, the apparatus 200 may provide frequent andaccurate input to the web tension controller 210.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example method 400 for determining acorrection factor according to an implementation. Method 400 may bedescribed below as being executed or performed by an apparatus, such asapparatus 100 of FIG. 1. Various other suitable systems may be used aswell, such as, for example, apparatus 200 of FIG. 2. Method 400 may beimplemented in the form of executable instructions stored on amachine-readable storage medium and executed by at least one processorof the apparatus 100, and/or in the form of electronic circuitry. Insome implementations of the present disclosure, one or more blocks ofmethod 400 may be executed substantially concurrently or in a differentorder than shown in FIG. 4. In some implementations of the presentdisclosure, method 400 may include more or less blocks than are shown inFIG. 4. In some implementations, one or more of the blocks of method 400may, at certain times, be ongoing and/or may repeat.

The method 400 may begin at block 402, and continue to block 404, wherethe apparatus 100 may detect a mark at a first sensor (e.g., 102), themark being on a substrate fed through a web printing press. At block406, the apparatus 100 may detect the mark at a second sensor (e.g.,104), the first sensor and the second sensor being separated by acalibrated sensor distance. For example, the first sensor and the secondsensor may be mounted at different locations within the apparatus 100(or more generally, mounted in the web printing press in someimplementations), separated by the calibrated sensor distance. At block408, the apparatus 100 may determine a measured sensor distance betweenthe first sensor and the second sensor based on the detecting the markat the first sensor (e.g., at block 404) and the detecting the mark atthe second sensor (e.g., at block 406). In some implementations, theapparatus 100 determines the measured sensor distance at least in partby a rotary encoder (e.g., encoder 106) detecting advancement of thesubstrate between the detecting the mark at the first sensor (e.g., atblock 404) and the detecting the mark at the second sensor (e.g., atblock 406). At block 408, the apparatus 100 may determine a correctionfactor to convert the measured sensor distance to the calibrated sensordistance. For example, the correction factor may be the measured sensordistance determined at block 406 divided by the calibrated sensordistance. In some implementations, the apparatus 100 may perform block406 using a scaling measurement correction module (e.g., 108). In someimplementations, the mark is a plurality of marks on the substrate, andthe measured sensor distance and the correction factor may be determinedfor each mark of the plurality of marks. In other words, the method 400(and more particularly, blocks 404, 406, 408, 410) may be repeated for aplurality of marks as the substrate is advanced or fed through the webprinting press. At block 412, the method 400 may end.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an example method 500 for correcting a scalingmeasurement according to an implementation. Method 500 may be describedbelow as being executed or performed by an apparatus, such as apparatus200 of FIG. 2. Various other suitable systems may be used as well toperform at least part of method 500, such as, for example, apparatus 100of FIG. 1. Method 500 may be implemented in the form of executableinstructions stored on a machine-readable storage medium and executed byat least one processor of the apparatus 200, and/or in the form ofelectronic circuitry. In some implementations of the present disclosure,one or more blocks of method 500 may be executed substantiallyconcurrently or in a different order than shown in FIG. 5. In someimplementations of the present disclosure, method 500 may include moreor less blocks than are shown in FIG. 5. In some implementations, one ormore of the blocks of method 500 may, at certain times, be ongoingand/or may repeat. In some implementations, prior to beginning themethod 500, the apparatus 200 may determine a correction factor byperforming method 400.

The method 500 may begin at block 502, and continue to block 504 wherethe apparatus 200 (or a scaling measurement correction module, e.g.,218) may adjust a correction factor based on a temperature measuredbetween a first sensor (e.g., 212) and a second sensor (e.g., 214), by atemperature sensor (e.g., 220) for example. The correction factor maybe, for example, the correction factor determined according to block 410of method 400. At block 506, the apparatus 200 may detect a mark (e.g.,226-1) at the first sensor, the mark being on a substrate (e.g., 204)fed through a web printing press (e.g., 202). At block 508, theapparatus 200 may detect, at the first sensor, another mark (e.g.,226-2) on the substrate. At block 510, the apparatus 200 (or the scalingmeasurement correction module) may determine a scaling measurementbetween the mark and the another mark based on the detecting the mark atthe first sensor (e.g., at block 506) and the detecting the another markat the first sensor (e.g., at block 508). For example, in someimplementations, the apparatus 200 may determine the scaling measurementin part by a rotary encoder (e.g., encoder 216) detecting advancement ofthe substrate 204 between the detecting the mark at the first sensor(that is, a first trigger event) and the detecting the another mark atthe first sensor (that is, a second trigger event). At block 512, theapparatus 200 (or the scaling measurement correction module) may convertthe scaling measurement determined at block 510 to a corrected scalingmeasurement using the correction factor. At block 514, the apparatus 200(or the scaling measurement correction module) may transmit thecorrected scaling measurement determined at block 512 to a web tensioncontroller (e.g., 210). In some implementations, the mark 226-1 and theanother mark may be among a plurality of marks on the substrate, and themethod 500 (and more particularly, blocks 506, 508, 510, 512, 514) maybe repeated for pairs of consecutive or adjacent marks. The method 500may end at block 516.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a processor-based system 600 thatincludes a machine-readable medium encoded with example instructions todetermine a correction factor according to an example implementation. Insome example implementations, the system 600 may be or may form part ofa printing device, such as a web printing press. In someimplementations, the system 600 is a processor-based system and mayinclude a processor 602 coupled to a machine-readable medium 604. Theprocessor 602 may include a single-core processor, a multi-coreprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a fieldprogrammable gate array, and/or other hardware device suitable forretrieval and/or execution of instructions from the machine-readablemedium 604 (e.g., instructions 606, 608) to perform functions related tovarious examples. Additionally or alternatively, the processor 602 mayinclude electronic circuitry for performing the functionality describedherein, including the functionality of instructions 606 and/or 608. Withrespect to the executable instructions represented as boxes in FIG. 6,it should be understood that part or all of the executable instructionsand/or electronic circuits included within one box may, in alternateimplementations, be included in a different box shown in the figures orin a different box not shown.

The machine-readable medium 604 may be any medium suitable for storingexecutable instructions, such as random access memory (RAM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flashmemory, hard disk drives, optical discs, and the like. In some exampleimplementations, the machine-readable medium 604 may be a tangible,non-transitory medium, where the term “non-transitory” does notencompass transitory propagating signals. The machine-readable medium604 may be disposed within system 600, as shown in FIG. 6, in which casethe executable instructions may be deemed “installed” on the system 600.Alternatively, the machine-readable medium 604 may be a portable (e.g.,external) storage medium, for example, that allows system 600 toremotely execute the instructions or download the instructions from thestorage medium. In this case, the executable instructions may be part ofan “installation package.” As described further herein below, themachine-readable medium 604 may be encoded with a set of executableinstructions 606, 608.

Instructions 606, when executed by the processor 602, may determine ameasured sensor distance based on a number of counts from a rotaryencoder coupled to a roller of a web printing press, the number ofcounts corresponding to a distance a substrate advances through the webprinting press between detection of a mark on the substrate by a firstsensor and detection of the mark by a second sensor, the first sensorand the second sensor being separated by a calibrated sensor distance.Instructions 608, when executed by the processor 602, may determine acorrection factor based on a ratio of the measured sensor distance tothe calibrated sensor distance.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a processor-based system 700 thatincludes a machine-readable medium encoded with example instructions todetermine a correction factor according to an example implementation. Insome example implementations, the system 700 may be or may form part ofa printing device, such as a web printing press. In someimplementations, the system 700 is a processor-based system and mayinclude a processor 702 coupled to a machine-readable medium 704. Theprocessor 702 may include a single-core processor, a multi-coreprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a fieldprogrammable gate array, and/or other hardware device suitable forretrieval and/or execution of instructions from the machine-readablemedium 704 (e.g., instructions 706, 708, 710) to perform functionsrelated to various examples. Additionally or alternatively, theprocessor 702 may include electronic circuitry for performing thefunctionality described herein, including the functionality ofinstructions 706, 708, and/or 710. With respect to the executableinstructions represented as boxes in FIG. 7, it should be understoodthat part or all of the executable instructions and/or electroniccircuits included within one box may, in alternate implementations, beincluded in a different box shown in the figures or in a different boxnot shown.

The machine-readable medium 704 may be any medium suitable for storingexecutable instructions, such as random access memory (RAM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) flashmemory, hard disk drives, optical discs, and the like. In some exampleimplementations, the machine-readable medium 704 may be a tangible,non-transitory medium, where the term “non-transitory” does notencompass transitory propagating signals. The machine-readable medium704 may be disposed within system 700, as shown in FIG. 7, in which casethe executable instructions may be deemed “installed” on the system 700.Alternatively, the machine-readable medium 704 may be a portable (e.g.,external) storage medium, for example, that allows system 700 toremotely execute the instructions or download the instructions from thestorage medium. In this case, the executable instructions may be part ofan “installation package.” As described further herein below, themachine-readable medium 704 may be encoded with a set of executableinstructions 706, 708, 710.

Instructions 706, when executed by the processor 702, may determine ascaling measurement based on a number of counts from the rotary encodercorresponding to a distance the substrate advances through the webprinting press between detection of the mark by the first sensor anddetection of a subsequent mark by the first sensor. Instructions 708,when executed by the processor 702, may convert the scaling measurementto a corrected scaling measurement using the correction factor.Instructions 710, when executed by the processor 702, may transmit thecorrected scaling measurement to a web tension controller of the webprinting press.

In view of the foregoing description, it can be appreciated that errorand inaccuracy in a scaling measurement, determined by an apparatus thatdetects calibration marks on a web-fed substrate, may be reduced,corrected, or compensated by calibrating apparatus measurements againsta calibrated sensor distance between sensors of the apparatus. Moreover,by virtue of improving the accuracy of the scaling measurement, a webtension controller may control the tension applied to the web-fedsubstrate in a web printing press with greater accuracy.

In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth to providean understanding of the subject matter disclosed herein. However,implementation may be practiced without some or all of these details.Other implementations may include modifications and variations from thedetails discussed above. It is intended that the following claims coversuch modifications and variations.

We claim:
 1. A distortion correction device for a web printing press,the device comprising: a first sensor and a second sensor separated by acalibrated sensor distance, the first and second sensors to detect markson a substrate as the substrate advances through the press; an encoderto detect advancement of the substrate; and a scaling measurementcorrection module to: detect a mark on the substrate with the firstsensor; detect the mark on the substrate with the second sensor; usingoutput from the encoder, determine a measured distance between thesensors based on detection of the mark at each sensor; compare themeasured distance to the calibrated sensor distance; determine acorrection factor based on the comparison of the measured distance tothe calibrated sensor distance; and adjust operation of the web printingpress based on the correction factor.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a temperature sensor placed between the first sensorand the second sensor, wherein the scaling measurement correction moduleis to adjust the correction factor based on a temperature measured bythe temperature sensor.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mark isamong a plurality of marks printed on the substrate, and the scalingmeasurement correction module is to update the correction factor foreach mark of the plurality of marks as each mark passes both the firstsensor and the second sensor.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theencoder is a rotary encoder coupled to a nip roller of the web printingpress.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the correction factor is themeasured distance divided by the calibrated sensor distance.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising a web tension controller, thescaling measurement correction module to controller the web tensioncontroller using the correction factor for adjustment of tension on thesubstrate.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scaling measurementcorrection module is to: determine a scaling measurement based on anamount of substrate advancement, as detected by the encoder, betweendetection of the mark by the first sensor and detection of the mark bythe second sensor, convert the scaling measurement to a correctedscaling measurement using the correction factor, and transmit thecorrected scaling measurement to a web tension controller of the webprinting press.
 8. An apparatus comprising: a first sensor and a secondsensor mounted in a web printing press and separated by a calibratedsensor distance, the first and second sensors to detect marks on asubstrate as the substrate advances through the press; an encoder todetect advancement of the substrate; and a scaling measurementcorrection module to: determine a measured sensor distance based on anamount of substrate advancement, as detected by the encoder, betweendetection of a mark by the first sensor and detection of the mark by thesecond sensor, determine a correction factor to convert the measuredsensor distance to the calibrated sensor distance, and adjust operationof the web printing press based on the correction factor.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein the scaling measurement correction moduleis to: transmit a corrected scaling measurement based on the correctionfactor to a web tension controller of the web printing press.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 9, wherein the scaling measurement correction moduleis to: determine the scaling measurement based on an amount of substrateadvancement, as detected by the encoder, between detection of the markby the first sensor and detection of the mark by the second sensor, andconvert the scaling measurement to a corrected scaling measurement usingthe correction factor.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprisinga temperature sensor placed between the first sensor and the secondsensor, wherein the scaling measurement correction module is to adjustthe correction factor based on a temperature measured by the temperaturesensor.
 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the calibrated sensordistance is accurate to at least seven microns.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the mark is among a plurality of marks printed on thesubstrate, and the scaling measurement correction module is to updatethe correction factor for each mark of the plurality of marks as eachmark passes the first sensor and the second sensor.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the encoder is a rotary encoder coupled to a nip rollerof the web printing press.
 15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein thecorrection factor is the measured sensor distance divided by thecalibrated sensor distance.
 16. The apparatus of claim 18, furthercomprising a web tension controller, the scaling measurement correctionmodule to controller the web tension controller using the correctionfactor for adjustment of tension on the substrate.
 17. A method ofdistortion correction for a web printing press, the method comprising:with a first sensor and a second sensor separated by a calibrated sensordistance, the first and second sensors to detect marks on a substrate asthe substrate advances through the press, detecting a mark on thesubstrate with the first sensor; detecting the mark on the substratewith the second sensor; with an encoder to detect advancement of thesubstrate and a scaling measurement correction module, determining ameasured distance between the sensors based on detection of the mark ateach sensor; with the measurement correction module, comparing themeasured distance to the calibrated sensor distance and determining acorrection factor based on the comparison of the measured distance tothe calibrated sensor distance; and with the measurement correctionmodule, adjusting operation of the web printing press based on thecorrection factor.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising adjustthe correction factor based on a temperature measured by a temperaturesensor placed between the first sensor and the second sensor.
 19. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the mark is among a plurality of marksprinted on the substrate, the method further comprising updating thecorrection factor for each mark of the plurality of marks as each markpasses both the first sensor and the second sensor.
 20. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the correction factor is the measured distance dividedby the calibrated sensor distance.